Saturday, September 5, 2009

Adventurous Hero or Selfish and Hollow?

This article caught my attention tonight. I'm all for following your dreams, and reconnecting with some of your loves you had as a child, in that what was set aside perhaps can be realized as an adult. Writing one's own obituary, now there's a shake up as to what path you are on in your life. Have any of you tried this exercise? I just might, though I don't think I'll be jumping ship over it. Rather, I'd want to bring along the crew.

In your opinion, is she justified in her wanting to seek out her dream, help the environment, even though it means leaving all behind, including her husband? Or, are her actions taken too far, and this just another example of the "me" generation, shedding responsibility and commitment for self-gratification and self-centeredness?

Thoughts?

AOL: Rower finds Inspiration in the Unknown


CNN: Rowing Oceans for a better world

13 comments:

Barlinnie said...

I'd take a guess that 'Roz' had a wee bit of money hidden under the mattress, and no much of a life with hubby or the red 'toy' car.

I'd have been more favourable if she had come fae nothing, and the risk was a real life changing moment instaed of a rich womans jaunt.

I could be wrong... but I doubt if I'm that wrong.

Honey said...

Well, this is a tricky one - how many people judge her negatively just because she is female (and hence supposed to prioritize family and even money to a certain extend)?

Overall, I think anyone who changes their life so radically deserve some respect because lets face it - not very many people have the guts to do this. For some reason people don't like to admit that they are unhappy and take the steps needed to be happy (which might not be an easy thing to do as this also has a cost like losing a husband).

It is too easy to judge her negatively on the little info available.

James Higham said...

If she intends leaving her husband forever, then that is one thing and there might be many issues behind that one.

If she intends just to take an extended time away, then it depends what she intends vis a vis romance. If she sees it as a way to have many lovers then that's the end and it is selfish in my book.

If her intention is truly to pursue the dream and then return, well, fine, as long as he supports it.

This requires a post because someone just came into the mind and it's relevant to this.

Good issue.

jams o donnell said...

On the surface it sounds a bit selfish BUT perhaps she was in an unhappy marriage. Perhaps it was better that she did what she did than end up in her seventies regretting not doing it

CherryPie said...

It sounds like an unhappy marriage if she has walked away as the papers say.

Or her husband could fully support her following her dream.

Honey said...

My favourite quote from having interviewed 80+ older females is that you only really regret the things you never did - living by this might very well make you seem selfish to other people.

That Hideous Man said...

"Make it your aim to live a quiet life, mind your own business, working with your hands." I Thes. 4:11

Does the contemporary obsession with individualism, celebrity, status and egotism - mean that we are looking for significance in the wrong places?

I think so...

James Higham said...

how many people judge her negatively just because she is female

Not many, I'd think. Nothing really to do with her being female. It's to do with her self-centredness.

People say, "unhappy marriage, dull etc." Well, she was one of them in there. Why didn't she spice it up and take him along?

His Girl Friday said...

Great comments, all, thank you!

A bit of a mix of what I was thinking.

That she left her career and a silly red car makes no difference, but the fact that it was noted that she left her husband...just gives a bad impression. I wouldn't use her as an example as a role model for any young person to emulate for that reason.

I respect her for following her dreams, no one can deny her that. Still, the glamour of the rowing doesn't replace the integrity of commitment, and sticking through the doldrums/hard times that can occur in any relationship, if you've known each other long enough. It is too bad that they advertised her shedding of her marriage, and equally too bad that he wasn't there to support her.

However, as Jimmy said, it does appear that it's a 'rich woman's jaunt'.

I much prefer the story of this fellow. The blind man who climbed Mt Everest:

http://sports.jrank.org/pages/5216/Weihenmayer-Erik.html

MrsS said...

Here's me at the coos tail as usual.

My thought are that I admire anyone who has the guts (and finances) to go where they feel their life is being directed at any one particular time. Where would this world be without pioneers?

I've thought about writing my own obituary, but the more I think about it, the more I think people would find it boring and totally different to their conception of me. I'm leaving it to someone else. xx

His Girl Friday said...

I agree Mrs S, people should be able to follow their dreams. And, yes, where would we be without pioneers? People who often think and go outside the box, even if it means swimming upstream against mainstream thought.

As to your obit:
for a start, loving wife and mother, steadfast friend;...counts high in my book. :)

MrsS said...

Och you dinna know me HGF!!! You made me smile anyway. xx

His Girl Friday said...

haha, there's much to tell from our chats, Mrs S :)